Upload contacts

In this article, you will learn how to upload contacts into the Spotler MailPro Data module. This guide will take you through the manual import process, including options for advanced settings. By following the steps outlined below, you will be able to successfully import your contacts into the relevant group in MailPro.

On this page, you have the following options:

• Upload contacts overview
• Upload a CSV file

Upload contacts overview

To upload contacts, you need to import them into the database of a specific campaign. The page offers several options for doing this:

• Via manual import – This allows you to manually upload contacts via a CSV file.
• Via predefined external connection – This option can only be used if an SFTP connection is active.

Upload a CSV file

In Spotler MailPro, you can easily populate your contact database by importing a CSV file.

Follow these steps:

• Step 1 - Construct the CSV file
• Step 2 - Upload CSV file to Spotler MailPro
• Step 3 - View upload results and errors

Step 1 - Construct the CSV file

First, ensure your CSV file is ready for uploading to Spotler MailPro. When constructing a CSV file, use the first row for the column title. If a column title matches the name of a database field in Spotler MailPro, then Spotler MailPro will automatically recognize it. Otherwise, you will manually link it later.

Do you work on a Mac?

CSV files created in Numbers cannot be imported. When you reopen the file in Microsoft Excel and save it again, you can import it.

Step 2 - Upload the CSV file to Spotler MailPro

Upload your CSV file under the Contacts tab and select Upload Contacts. 

Click the Browse... button to upload the CSV file.

After uploading, the following screen will appear:

• Group: Select the group to where you want to upload the contacts.
• Field separator: Select the character used to separate fields in the CSV file. Usually, this is a comma. After you choose the right separator, a neat table will appear under Match fields.
• Enclosure: If applicable, select the character used to group values together within a field.
• Character set: If your CSV file contains special characters, select the appropriate character set for proper display. After selecting the correct character set, special characters will show correctly.
• Match fields: Link the columns from the CSV file to the correct database fields in Spotler MailPro.
• Generate a dummy email address: If the CSV file does not contain email addresses, check this box to upload the file anyway. This is useful, for example, for when the file contains phone numbers to send SMS messages to. The email address will look like +31612345678dummy@training.webpower.eu.
• Check for allowed values: Decide whether to receive an error message for values not allowed according to Spotler MailPro's database field settings.
• Recipient of the results: Enter an email address to receive information about the import. Review this email, especially the attachment, to correct any errors.

Advanced

In the Advanced dropdown menu, you can specify additional settings for your import.

• First line in CSV file: Choose whether to skip or read the first row if it contains column names. If your CSV-file contains column names, select Skip. This is usually the case. If your CSV-file does not contain column names, select Import.
• Add existing recipient to the selected group: If a subscriber already exists in a different group, you can either add them anyway or skip them.
• What to do with duplicates:
  • Skip: Retain known data, skip new data.
  • Complement: Keep existing data, only fill empty fields with new data.
  • Replace all existing data: Replace all existing data, even if replaced with empty fields.
  • Replace existing data, except empty CSV fields: Replace existing data only if new data is available in the CSV file.
• Date format and datetime format: Set how dates and times from the CSV file should be formatted in the Spotler MailPro database.

Once satisfied with the settings, click Ok at the bottom of the page to start the import.

 

Step 3 - View upload results and errors

After uploading, the email address specified at Recipient of results will receive an email with the import results. It will show the number of successfully uploaded contact records. The records marked as errors were not uploaded.

If there are errors or duplicates, the email will include attachments with files containing all errors and duplicates. Examine these files to identify and correct issues with the file. In the example below, a spelling mistake in the email address is the cause.

The following are common mistakes users make during the upload process and how to avoid them:

• Missing required fields – Ensure all mandatory fields are filled out and mapped correctly.
• Incorrect field separator – Always verify that the field separator used in the CSV matches the settings.
  Wrong separator:
  
  Right separator: